


The Serendipity of Stars

by CamEmrys9



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crimes & Criminals, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23801122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CamEmrys9/pseuds/CamEmrys9
Summary: A chance meeting begins a chain of events that Spencer Reid was not expecting. But when obstacles threaten to ruin his happiness, will he be strong enough to overcome them?
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	The Serendipity of Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo this is my first Criminal Minds story, so I apologize if it's a little crazy in the beginning (still trying to get into my CM mindset). This first chapter is pretty much to introduce the characters and set up where the story is gonna go. Chapter two might be similar but I definitely want to start the ball rolling soon on the actual story. As for the romance part of the story...yeah, it's gonna be a slow burn. So if you like that- you might enjoy this!

FBI Offices  
Quantico, Virginia  
Amplification

She answered after one ring.

“Just checking in. How’s your homeland treating you?” asked Rossi.

Emily turned slightly, curious to know who Rossi was speaking too. The lockdown had just been announced and while Emily knew that JJ was desperate to call home, she didn’t expect Rossi to be the first to break protocol.

“Good. And I suppose Alex will be going with you to Greece next week?”

After a slight pause, Rossi sighed with relief and nodded slightly, “Well, I’m glad to hear everyone is enjoying themselves. Send my regards to your grandmother, will you?” Another pause. “Stay longer, I’m sure Otis will love it.”

That sneaky bastard, Emily thought, astonished. 

“Alright, I’ll call again soon.” 

Hanging up, he pocketed his cellphone and walked past Emily, not sparing a glance.

“That is some creative way to get past the lock-down,” she muttered as they got into the SUV. Rossi smirked lightly as he began driving.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
\------------------------------

FBI Airplane  
Somewhere Over Tennessee  
Two Years later

“I need to go home and just forget this case,” JJ muttered as she leaned back on her seat. After a grueling four days, they had been able to track down their unsub and rescue his latest victim, however it wasn’t without the horrible visuals of his terror. The others nodded as they made themselves comfortable for their long flight home. As Rossi settled himself with his cup of coffee, his movement accidentally shoved his bag off his seat, the contents inside falling out into the aisle. Emily and Spencer moved to help, picking up several of his notes on the case. Morgan looked over at the commotion as he spoke with Garcia on the phone. 

As she moved the papers around, a beautiful invitation slipped out from between two folders. She opened it and stared at Rossi in shock.

“How did you get an invite to the International Engineering Convention?” she asked Rossi, surprised. Everyone immediately zoomed in on Rossi, the plane suddenly quiet. They could hear Garcia asking what was going on from Morgan’s phone. 

“I know people,” Rossi finally said.

“You know someone?” Emily asked suspiciously.

“It's not hard to believe,” Morgan said. “I’m sure you have fans in all different fields.” He returned to his call, quietly telling Garcia what had happened. They could clearly hear Garcia telling him to put her on speaker. Hotch chuckled lightly and looked at Rossi, waiting expectantly to see what he would say.

“The IEC is a private convention. It’s mainly a convention for people in the science community to show and network with each other. There’s only a few outsiders invited every year- mostly CEOs of technology-related companies, politicians and some monarchs.” 

They turned from Reid to Rossi, waiting to see what he would say. With a resigned look, Rossi placed his notes inside his bag and turned back to his team. 

“Since I don’t see any of you dropping this or Garcia not investigating- I’m close friends with an engineer that attended.”

“Would that engineer happen to be the woman who delivered this letter two weeks ago?” Emily asked slyly, remembering the young woman who had quietly walked into Rossi’s office and left twenty minutes later. At Rossi's slight nod, her smile widened, and she shared a look with JJ.

“So close friend means future fourth wife?” teased JJ. Morgan chuckled at Rossi's unimpressed look. 

“Close friend means close friend,” he stated firmly. 

“Besides, I’m sure she’s closer to being his granddaughter than his wife,” chucked Morgan.

“I’ll have you know,” Rossi said, turning towards Morgan. “That she’s not as young as she looks. She’s only a year younger than Reid.”

“So, a daughter then,” Morgan laughed. Everyone chuckled at Rossi's silence. Emily suddenly stopped, finally remembering why the woman had looked so familiar.

“Agatha Olander- that’s who she is, isn’t it?” Before Rossi could deny it, Reid interrupted.

“Dr. Agatha Olander? The Dr. Olander?” he asked, clearly shocked.

“Well, I know her more as Aggy, the kid who said my book talks were interesting but not interesting enough to miss her robotics class to come listen too, but yeah, I suppose she’s the same.” 

“Ohh, I like her,” they heard Garcia chuckle. 

“Am I the only one who doesn’t know who this Dr. Olander is,” Morgan asked. JJ raised her hand, shaking her head. As Reid was about to explain, Garcia interrupted with the information.

“Dr. Agatha (excuse my pronunciation) Solveig Olander: renown robotics genius who seems to be taking the green energy world by storm. Born and raised in Stavanger, Norway, has a twin brother who is…very attractive…seems to run in the family.”

“She also has Doctorates in Engineering, both Mechanical and Electrical, Robotics and MA’s in Physics and Chemistry. She graduated top of her class from ETH Zurich and Oxford. She’s-.”

“Anything we should know her from,” interrupted JJ.

“The Energy Turbines floating all around Sweden, turning wind into electricity for the people below?” at her incredulous look, he elaborated. “Those giant metal balloons-”

“No, I know what they are, I’m just really confused as to how Rossi met her.”

“She studied a year in Harvard, and I happened to be doing a tour of my book in the nearby area. I thought she was a kid lost on campus and she set me straight. We happened to cross paths a few more times during the years and became friends.”

“And you never thought to introduce us to a princess?” asked Garcia. “It’s my dream Rossi.”

“She’s not a princess,” retorted Rossi. 

“She’s a very notable person from Sweden though, basically royalty,” said Emily. “Her grandmother was invited to dine with the monarchy multiple times when my mom visited.” 

“You need to invite her to one of your special diners Rossi! I need to meet her!” exclaimed Garcia.

“No. Not only is she an incredibly busy woman, but she also values her privacy, so she will not appreciate me talking about her to others.”

“No one is going to talk about her. We don’t want to meet a scientist, we want to meet your friend,” said JJ.

“Well, I think Reid here would want to meet her for the scientist part,” Morgan teased as Reid blushed. Hotch cleared his throat, deciding it was time to help Rossi out of this conversation. “She is a very busy person, travelling constantly, so it’s highly unlikely that there’ll even be a chance to meet her.”

They all stared at Hotch for a moment before JJ narrowed her eyes. 

“You’ve met her, haven’t you?” At that moment the intercom system crackled with the announcement to prepare for landing.

“This conversation isn’t over,” warned Emily. 

\-----

Rossi Residence  
Washington, DC  
A Year Later  
April

A knock on the door halted the conversation. They watched as Rossi, confused, got up and went to answer the door.

“I thought Hotch said he couldn’t come?” whispered JJ. Emily shrugged and moved closer to the door to see who it was. 

“I’m so sorry, I know you’re having a Fika, and I don’t wish to interrupt,” said the slightly accented voice at the door. “But Otis left his experiments journal here and can’t go to sleep without it.”

“It’s fine,” Rossi assured. “Do you know where it is?”

“Ja, he knows exactly where he left it but didn’t remember to bring it when we left,” the woman laughed as she and Rossi made their way into the house. Rossi stopped as they reached the team, who were trying to look as if they hadn’t been listening to their conversation. He looked resigned. 

“I suppose it’s time you met my team. Aggy, this is Jennifer Jareau, Emily Prentiss, Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid and Penelope Garcia. Everyone, this is my good friend Agatha Olander.”

The woman in front of them smiled brightly and nodded in greeting. She was tall, with platinum hair pulled up in a neat ponytail. Her green eyes sparkled with excitement and intelligence as she was introduced to each of them. 

“It’s truly a pleasure to meet you all,” she said. “I’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to put a face to all the stories Dave has told me.”

“Do you need help getting Otis’ book,” said Rossi, stopping the conversation. Agatha shook her head and with a smile, she made her way to the backyard. As she closed the door behind her, Rossi turned back to the team. 

“What?” he asked, seeing Morgan’s sly look.

“I can see why you’ve kept her all to yourself all this time,” he said. Before Rossi could deny anything, Agatha walked back inside clutching a small journal. She stopped as she noticed everyone’s eyes on her. “Did I interrupt anything?”

“No,” said Rossi. “Here, I’ll walk you to your car.” 

“What? No! Stay longer,” pleaded Garcia. “Rossi has a plate of cannoli in the fridge. We can chat while eating a delicious dessert.”

“I’d love to, really I would. But I need to get this journal back to my son so he can sleep. He has an important presentation tomorrow,” she explained apologetically. “Another time perhaps?”

“Of course,” replied JJ. “I usually have a couple of barbecues over the summer- you’re more than welcomed to come. I’ll send you the details through Rossi.”

“Oh perfect! I can’t wait!”

“Come along,” Rossi said, as he lightly led her to the door. 

“He’s going to kill you,” mused Morgan, as the door closed behind Rossi. 

\-------------------

“They were nice,” said Agatha. “I don’t know why you were so afraid for me to meet them.” Rossi grunted as he opened the car door for her. Agatha smiled at his response and got inside her car. 

“You will let me know about the barbeque, right? I said I would be there, and I don’t want to seem rude.” 

Rossi sighed and nodded, “Drive safe.” She smiled and waved goodbye as she pulled out and left.

I knew it wouldn’t last, he thought, resigned. 

\----------------------

Jareau Residence  
Washington, DC  
July

JJ watched excitedly as Rossi’s car pulled into the driveway. She’d had a couple of barbeques since she’d met Agatha, however Rossi’s words had been proven true. His old friend was indeed a very busy woman. 

“They here?” Garcia asked, inching closer to peek at the driveway.

“Yes but remember: no crowding her. We want to make a good impression.”Garcia smiled. “And get some embarrassing stories she might have on Rossi.” 

JJ nodded and quickly pulled Garcia back from the fence edge. She made her way to the front door and waited for them to knock. A moment later she was opening the door to a brightly smiling woman and her grumpy companion. While she had met her before, the meeting had only lasted about five minutes long, with Rossi quickly escorting her out.  
Having her infront of her, holding her undivided attention, JJ couldn't help but recall Emily’s words. While she was no profiler, she could tell Agatha came from a more affluent society. Her face, with a small straight nose and high cheekbones leading to pretty red lips, was perfectly balanced between excitement and reservation. With her shoulders back and back straight, she exuded confidence. They did make a curious pair, thought JJ. Rossi’s casual brown jacket with dark jeans was a very relaxed look compared to Agatha’s royal blue mid-dress. 

“Welcome! Please come in.” As JJ moved aside, she noticed the small boy standing behind Agatha. His big brown eyes looking at her curiously. Agatha, noticing JJ’s gaze, gently pushed the boy in front of her.

“Thank you for inviting us. This is Otis, my son.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, madam,” he said formally, with a small bow. With a quick glance at Agatha and Rossi’s amused faces, she curtsied. “The pleasure is all mine.” 

Otis smiled and looked up to his mother expectantly. 

“That was very well done. Mormor would be proud,” said Agatha, lightly squeezing his shoulders. 

“Well, now that the introductions have been made, why don’t we head to the backyard to eat?” asked Rossi.

“Of course. We have a set of swings where my son Henry plays, if you wanted to join him Otis. And Jack, Hotch’s son, is here as well.” Otis nodded slightly, distracted by the noise as they made their way to the yard. It was nicely decorated, with flowers surrounding the fence. A small swing set stood proudly on the left side, with Henry and Jack laughing loudly as they chased each other around it. The other side of the yard had two tables set up, some filled with snacks and drinks while the other was occupied with the rest of the team, talking and joking around. Will stood in the center, conversing with Hotch as he flipped a burger. At Agatha’s nod, Otis took off towards the swings, quickly introducing himself to the other boys and joining in the game. JJ made her way towards Will, watching as Rossi led Agatha towards the others. 

“I can finish making these on my own if you want to go join in,” said Will, noticing where her gaze was. JJ shook her head. “I don’t want to crowd her, besides, it doesn’t seem fair to make you do all the work.” She smiled as she stole a piece of chicken from the plate next to the grill. 

“Oh yeah, great help you are,” laughed Will.

\---------------

“Is that your son?” asked Garcia, looking over at the little boy running around with Jack and Henry. Spencer noticed her countenance lighten as she looked over at her son. While to any onlooker she would look comfortable, he noticed the slight tightening of her shoulders after Rossi had left and gone to speak with Morgan on the other edge of the table. 

“Yes, that’s my Otis,” smiled Agatha.

“He’s adorable! How old is he?”

“He turned six last month. That’s actually why we weren’t able to be here for the last barbeque. We flew back home to celebrate,” smiled Agatha.

“Aww that’s so sweet! I’ve never been to Norway, but I’ve always wanted to go.”

At that Agatha’s eyes lit up. “Oh you have to visit! Especially if you want to take a break from the hecticness of the city. I try to go back as much as I can, which is still not enough if I’m honest.”

“Because of your job?” guessed Garcia. Agatha nodded. “I’m needed here, so here I shall be.” 

She isn’t comfortable speaking about her job, thought Spencer. While not as tight as she’d been, at the mention of her job, the looseness of her countenance was slowly disappearing. 

“It must be so interesting. I read a lot about your Energy Turbines and I honestly can’t even wrap my head on how they work! And then to think about how you reconstructed all those machines to create it and make it float- it’s crazy.”

Agatha smiled lightly, “It is very exciting, but it’s still a long way from being perfect.”

“I don't know what else you could do to it. Is that what you’re working on here?”

“Mainly, but I’m also working on a few other things. Collaborations with some of my friends.” Garcia nodded encouragingly, waiting for her to continue.

“Did you,” his voice cracked. Embarrassed, he continued, “Did you enjoy ETH Zurich?” Both women stared at him, the change in conversation being a slight shock.

“Umm, yes. I did. Did you go?” Agatha’s light-green eyes peering curiously at him. He wasn’t surprised by this. The moment Rossi had brought her over, he had clammed up and stared intently at his soda, letting Garcia take over the conversation.

“No. I actually didn't hear about it until after my first doctorate.”

“Oh yes, Dave did mention that you have multiple doctorates. Mathematics, Engineering and..”

“Chemistry,” quipped Penelope, staring curiously at Spencer.

“I also have MA’s in Psychology and Sociology. And I’m working on a MA in Philosophy.”

“Fascinating,” murmured Agatha. “Why Philosophy?”

Spencer smiled. He rarely got to talk about his studies with the team before they interrupted him, but looking at Agatha’s face, he could see that he had her undivided attention. She even seemed completely interested in his answer. He took a deep breath to try to contain his excitement. After all, it wasn’t everyday that he got to speak to someone of her caliber. 

\-----------------

Morgan chuckled lightly. While to any onlooker, Rossi seemed perfectly captured by his conversation with one of Will’s coworkers, Mark, his discreet glancing at a certain table had not gone unnoticed. Sharing a knowing look with Hotch, Morgan shuffled closer to Rossi, as if to hear the conversation better. However this effectively blocked Rossi’s view. 

“I know what you’re doing, and I don’t appreciate it,” Rossi muttered. Morgan only smirked and moved towards the refreshment table, knowing Rossi would follow. As he refilled his cup, he saw Rossi doing the same and then turning to glance at the table again.

“If you want to make her your fourth wife, I’d suggest you get to it soon. I don’t think Boy Genius has taken his eyes off her since you got here.” Rossi shook his head and took a sip of his drink. “It’s not like that.” 

Morgan nodded, “Not romantic, but you just don’t want to share her.” At Rossi's slight glare, Morgan shrugged. “Nothing wrong with that.” 

“It’s really not like that.”

\--------------------

“Mamma won’t take me everyday,” said Otis sadly. “But I want to go!” Agatha smiled and refilled his cup. “She says I’m too little but I’m not! I know what her machines do! I’ve studied!”

Everyone around the table tried to hold their laughter in. He was very energetic and continued to explain his predicament, only taking small moments to eat a bit of his food before continuing. 

“You don’t know what all the machines do,” Agatha reminded him. Otis huffed adorably. 

“You can teach me mommy!”

“I’m sure they’ll teach you in school in a couple of years,” reasoned JJ. He was so adamant of his knowledge of his mother’s work that JJ couldn't help but want to cuddle him to her. With his big brown eyes and round face, he was too adorable to handle. She could tell Penelope had the same thoughts, as she caught her eye and mouthed aww.

“Dr. Rogers already taught us a lot. I want to learn more but he said I wasn’t being sag... sagos...sagests…

“Sagacious.” 

Otis nodded at his mother, “Sagacious.”

“It’s better to fully understand what you’re learning.” Agatha leaned closer to him, “Remember: You have to-”

“Know your basics,” finished Otis, resigned. Agatha chuckled and ruffled his hair. With a bright smile, Otis returned to his meal. With a few quick bites, he finished and ran off to join Jack in the swings, with only a nod at his mother’s warning to go slower.

“He’s learning robotics in school?”

Agatha nodded at Garcia, taking a quick sip of her drink. “He was offered a couple of courses as his special class and he chose robotics.”

“What school is he in?” asked JJ, intrigued. She didn’t know of any kindergarten that offered advanced science courses.

“He’s in the Oslo School for Young Minds. They opened a branch here in DC two years ago, which I was very happy about. Homeschooling wasn’t a viable option for us with my work.”

“I’ve heard about it, but I thought it was for teenagers,” said Garcia.

“It’s for anyone who passes the entrance exam,” explained Rossi. “Well, anyone under eighteen.” Agatha nodded, “Otis studied very hard to get in this year. Unfortunately, he’s in that age where he thinks he knows everything, I’m trying to get him to calm down and fully absorb the materials but- he’s stubborn.”

“Just like his mother,” chuckled Rossi. 

“Just like his uncle,” retorted Agatha. “He’s the stubborn one in the family.”

“Alex is an angel and there’s nothing you can do to change my mind," Rossi said firmly, a smirk pulling at his lips. 

Agatha rolled her eyes at this. “Alex loves his books,” she explained to the group. “It’s a constant conversation of cases when he’s visiting.”

“Not your thing?” asked Morgan. Agatha shook her head, “I’m not against talking of it, but not necessarily in detail as they’re wont to do.” She shuddered. “I get nightmares.”

They all laughed. 

A couple of hours later it was time to go. Everyone gathered their bags and made their way to their cars, saying goodbye to JJ and Will on their way out. As she hugged and watched Penelope leave, she noticed Spencer and Agatha huddled together near his car. Their conversation lasted a few minutes, and with a small wave and a smile, Agatha got into Rossi’s car and they left. JJ caught Spencer’s eye and with a slight blush, he waved goodbye and left as well.


End file.
